System and method for real time reservoir management

Abstract

A method of real time field wide reservoir management comprising the steps of processing collected field wide reservoir data in accordance with one or more predetermined algorithms to obtain a resultant desired field wide production/injection forecast, generating a signal to one or more individual well control devices instructing the device to increase or decrease flow through the well control device, transmitting the signal to the individual well control device, opening or closing the well control device in response to the signal to increase or decrease the production for one or more selected wells on a real time basis. The system for field wide reservoir management comprising a CPU for processing collected field wide reservoir data, generating a resultant desired field wide production/injection forecast and calculating a target production rate for one or more wells and one or more down hole production/injection control devices.

1. A method comprising:
 receiving data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic;  
 with a processor determining, in relation to the data, a target production/injection in real time; and  
 with the processor determining a control device setting in relation to the target production/injection.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 allocating the target production/injection between one or more selected reservoir management intervals of the reservoir; and  
 determining the control device setting for a control device associated with at least one of the selected management intervals in relation to the target production/injection.  
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 comparing the target production/injection to an actual production/injection; and  
 determining the control device setting in relation to a difference between the target production/injection and the actual production/injection.  
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 comparing the target production/injection to an actual production/injection; and  
 determining the control device setting in relation to a difference between the target production/injection and the actual production/injection.  
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  wherein determining the control device setting comprises determining the control device setting if a difference between the target production/injection and the actual production/injection is greater than a specified variance. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein determining the control device setting comprises determining the control device setting in real time. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein determining the target production/injection in real time comprises:
 monitoring for changes in the data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic; and  
 if a change is detected, determining the target production/injection.  
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic comprises receiving the data in real time. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic comprises receiving data indicative of at least geologic data; and
 wherein determining the target production/injection in real time comprises determining a reservoir model adjustment using the data indicative of at least geologic data and determining the target production/injection in relation to the reservoir model.  
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  wherein determining the reservoir model adjustment comprises determining the reservoir model adjustment in real time. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  further comprising determining the reservoir model adjustment with data indicative of at least one of downhole pressure, flow or temperature. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9  further comprising selecting at least one well location based on the reservoir model. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  wherein determining the target production/injection comprises determining the target production/injection using at least one of nodal analysis, material balance calculations, risked economic analysis, or reservoir simulation. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1  wherein determining a control device setting comprises determining a setting for at least one of a downhole control device, a surface control device, or a seabed control device. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic comprises receiving data indicative of at least one of pressure, temperature, viscosity, flow rate, compositional profiles, log data, core data, SDL data, or seismic data. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1  wherein determining a control device setting comprises determining a setting for at least a production control device. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1  wherein determining, in relation to the data, a target production/injection in real time comprises determining, in relation to the data, the target production/injection continuously. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1  wherein determining, in relation to the data, a target production/injection in real time comprises determining the target production/injection based at least in part on the data. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1  further comprising communicating the determined control device setting to a control device. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19  wherein the control device is remote from the location at which the control device setting is determined. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 19  wherein communicating the determined control device setting to a control device comprises communicating the determined control device setting over a communication network. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21  wherein the communication network is a telephone network. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 19  wherein communicating the determined control device setting to a control device comprises communicating the control device setting to a person involved in communicating the control device setting to the control device. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 1  wherein determining the control device setting comprises determining an adjustment to the control device. 
     
     
       25. An article comprising machine executable instructions tangibly embodied on a non- transitory  machine-readable storage medium storing , the instructions operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:
 determining, in real time, a target production/injection in relation to received data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic; and  
 determining a setting for a control device in relation to the target production/injection.  
 
     
     
       26. The article of  claim 25  wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:
 allocating the target production/injection between one or more selected reservoir management intervals;  
 determining the control device setting for a control device associated with at least one of the selected management intervals in relation to the target/production injection.  
 
     
     
       27. The article of  claim 26  wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:
 comparing the target production/injection to an actual production/injection; and  
 determining the control device setting in relation to a difference between the target production/injection and the actual production/injection.  
 
     
     
       28. The article of  claim 25  wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:
 comparing the target production/injection to an actual production/injection; and  
 determining the control device setting in relation to a difference between the target production/injection and the actual production/injection.  
 
     
     
       29. The article of  claim 28  wherein determining the control device setting comprises determining the control device setting if a difference between the target production/injection and the actual production/injection is greater than a specified variance. 
     
     
       30. The article of  claim 25  wherein determining the control device setting comprises determining the control device setting in real time. 
     
     
       31. The article of  claim 25  wherein determining the target production/injection in real time comprises:
 monitoring for changes in the data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic; and  
 if a change is detected, determining the target production/injection.  
 
     
     
       32. The article of  claim 25  wherein the received data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic is received in real time. 
     
     
       33. The article of  claim 25  wherein the received data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic comprises data indicative of at least geologic data; and
 wherein determining, in real time, a target production/injection comprises determining a reservoir model adjustment using the data indicative of at least geologic data and determining the target production/injection in relation to the reservoir model.  
 
     
     
       34. The article of  claim 33  wherein determining a reservoir model adjustment comprises determining the reservoir model adjustment in real time. 
     
     
       35. The article of  claim 33  wherein determining a reservoir model adjustment comprises determining the reservoir model adjustment using further data indicative of at least one of downhole pressure, flow or temperature. 
     
     
       36. The article of  claim 33  wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising selecting at least one well location based on the reservoir model. 
     
     
       37. The article of  claim 25  wherein determining a target production/injection comprises determining the target production/injection using at least one of model analysis, material balance calculations, risked economic analysis, or reservoir simulation. 
     
     
       38. The article of  claim 25  wherein determining a setting for a control device comprises determining a setting for at least one of a downhole control device, a surface control device, or a seabed control device. 
     
     
       39. The article of  claim 25  wherein the received data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic comprises data indicative of at least one of pressure, temperature, viscosity, flow rate, compositional profiles, log data, core data, SDL data, or seismic data. 
     
     
       40. The article of  claim 25  wherein determining a setting for a control device comprises determining a setting for at least a production control device. 
     
     
       41. The article of  claim 25  wherein determining, in real time, a target production/injection comprises determining a target production/injection continuously. 
     
     
       42. The article of  claim 25  wherein determining, in real time a target production/injection in relation to received data comprises determining, in real time a target production/injection based at least in part on the received data. 
     
     
       43. The article of  claim 25  wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:
 communicate the setting for the control device to the control device.  
 
     
     
       44. The article of  claim 43  wherein the control device is remote from the location at which the control device setting is determined. 
     
     
       45. The article of  claim 43  wherein communicating the determined control device setting to a control device comprises communicating the determined control device setting over a communication network. 
     
     
       46. The article of  claim 45  wherein the communication network is telephone network. 
     
     
       47. The article of  claim 43  wherein communicating the setting for the control device to the control device comprises communicating the control device setting to a person involved in communicating the control device setting to the control device. 
     
     
       48. The article of  claim 25  wherein determining a setting for a control device comprises determining an adjustment to the control device. 
     
     
       49. A system comprising:
 at least one processor; and  
 at least one memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions operable to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:  
 determining, in real time, a target production/injection in relation to received data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic; and  
 determining a setting for a control device in relation to the target production/injection.  
 
     
     
       50. The system of  claim 49  wherein the instructions are further operable to the processor to perform operations comprising:
 allocating the target production/injection between one or more selected reservoir management intervals;  
 determining the control device setting for a control device associated with at least one of the selected management intervals in relation to the target/production injection.  
 
     
     
       51. The system of  claim 50  wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 comparing the target production/injection to an actual production/injection; and  
 determining the control device setting in relation to a difference between the target production/injection and the actual production/injection.  
 
     
     
       52. The system of  claim 49  wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 comparing the target production/injection to an actual production/injection; and  
 determining the control device setting in relation to a difference between the target production/injection and the actual production/injection.  
 
     
     
       53. The system of  claim 52  wherein determining the control device setting comprises determining the control device setting if a difference between the target production/injection and the actual production/injection is greater than a specified variance. 
     
     
       54. The system of  claim 49  wherein determining the control device setting comprises determining the control device setting in real time. 
     
     
       55. The system of  claim 49  wherein determining the target production/injection in real time comprises:
 monitoring for changes in the data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic; and  
 if a change is detected, determining the target production/injection.  
 
     
     
       56. The system of  claim 49  wherein the received data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic is received in real time. 
     
     
       57. The system of  claim 49  wherein the received data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic comprises data indicative of at least geologic data; and
 wherein determining, in real time, a target production/injection comprises determining a reservoir model adjustment using the data indicative of at least geologic data and determining the target production/injection in relation to the reservoir model.  
 
     
     
       58. The system of  claim 57  wherein determining a reservoir model adjustment comprises determining the reservoir model adjustment in real time. 
     
     
       59. The system of  claim 57  wherein determining a reservoir model adjustment comprises determining the reservoir model adjustment using further data indicative of at least one of downhole pressure, flow or temperature. 
     
     
       60. The system of  claim 57  wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the processor to perform operations comprising selecting at least one well location based on the reservoir model. 
     
     
       61. The system of  claim 49  wherein determining a target production/injection comprises determining the target production/injection using at least one of nodal analysis, material balance calculations, risked economic analysis, or reservoir simulation. 
     
     
       62. The system of  claim 49  wherein determining a setting for a control device comprises determining a setting for at least one of a downhole control device, a surface control device, or a seabed control device. 
     
     
       63. The system of  claim 49  wherein the received data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic comprises data indicative of at least one of pressure, temperature, viscosity, flow rate, compositional profiles, log data, core data, SDL data, or seismic data. 
     
     
       64. The system of  claim 49  wherein determining a setting for a control device comprises determining a setting for at least a production control device. 
     
     
       65. The system of  claim 49  wherein determining, in real time, a target production/injection comprises determining a target production/injection continuously. 
     
     
       66. The system of  claim 49  wherein determining, in real time a target production/injection in relation to received data comprises determining, in real time a target production/injection based at least in part on the received data. 
     
     
       67. The system of  claim 49  wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:
 communicate the setting for the control device to a control device.  
 
     
     
       68. The system of  claim 67  wherein the control device is remote from the location at which the control device setting is determined. 
     
     
       69. The system of  claim 67  wherein communicating the determined control device setting to a control device comprises communicating the determined control device setting over a communication network. 
     
     
       70. The system of claim  67    69  wherein the communication network is a telephone network. 
     
     
       71. The system of  claim 67  wherein communicating the setting for the control device to the control device comprises communicating the control device setting to a person involved in communicating the control device setting to the control device. 
     
     
       72. The system of  claim 49  wherein determining a setting for a control device comprises determining an adjustment to the control device. 
     
     
       73. A method comprising:
 with a processor monitoring data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic in real time;  
 if a variance in the data is detected, updating at least one of a nodal analysis, a material balance analysis, reservoir simulation or risked economics analysis; and  
 with the processor determining a control device setting in relation to at least one of the nodal analysis, material balance analysis, reservoir simulation or risked economics analysis.  
 
     
     
       74. The method of  claim 73  wherein determining a control device setting comprises:
 determining a production/injection forecast; and  
 determining the control device setting in relation to the production/injection forecast.  
 
     
     
       75. The method of  claim 73  wherein determining a control device setting comprises determining a control device setting in real time. 
     
     
       76. The method of  claim 73  wherein determining a control device setting comprises determining a setting for at least one of a downhole control device, a surface control device, or a seabed control device. 
     
     
       77. The method of  claim 73  wherein determining a control device setting comprises determining a setting for at least a production control device. 
     
     
       78. The method of  claim 73  wherein the nodal analysis comprises determining rate versus pressure for a system. 
     
     
       79. The method of  claim 73  wherein material balance analysis comprises determining one or more of a hydrocarbon volume, a reservoir drive mechanism and a production profile. 
     
     
       80. The method of  claim 73  wherein risked economics analysis comprises determining one or more of rate of economic return, net present value, payout, profit versus investment ratio. 
     
     
       81. An article comprising machine executable instructions tangibly embodied on a non- transitory machine - readable medium, the instructions operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:      monitoring data indicative of at least one reservoir characteristic in real time;        if a variance in the data is detected, updating at least one of a nodal analysis, a material balance analysis, reservoir simulation or risked economics analysis; and        determining a control device setting in relation to at least one of the nodal analysis, material balance analysis, reservoir simulation or risked economics analysis.     
     
     
       82. The method of  claim 1  further comprising adjusting a control device based on the control device setting. 
     
     
       83. The article of  claim 25  wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising adjusting the control device based on the setting for the control device. 
     
     
       84. The method of  claim 73  further comprising adjusting a control device with the control device setting. 
     
     
       85. The article of  claim 81  wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising adjusting a control device based on the control device setting.